Daily Answers

8-across – Steep area – mind out! : MARINADE

9-across – Liverpudlian exporting cocaine is 8 : SOUSE

10-across – Selection of soya beans on counter in marketplace : EBAY

11-across – Grass in English garden mown regularly in well-to-do area : KENSINGTON

12-across – Cold case for Detective Columbo finale is foolishness : IDIOCY

14-across – Ford maybe failing to start in pursuit of German troops : GARRISON

16-across – Husband consumed by wrong ends in here? : ASHTRAY

18-across – Great blokes in semi-rough : IMMENSE

21-across – Animated studio producer’s about to cover Virginia Plain : SAVANNAH

23-across – West Indies importing revolutionary fish paste : WASABI

24-across – Job in the chippie changes sides to make national dish of 1 : FLYINGFISH

26-across – Cool retro case for AirPods : OKRA

27-across – Dawn French for one tucked into drink : SUNUP

28-across – Stomach’s a problem after lamb korma occasionally : ABOMASUM

1-down – Country pub’s hosting bachelor party : BARBADOS

2-down – Open ChatGPT perhaps on track : AIRY

3-down – Artist relies on secrecy ultimately : BANKSY

4-down – Adolescent graffiti drawing in evening on ecstasy : TEENAGE

5-down – White on the move with queen sacrificed : ASTI

6-down – He’s nursing poor appetite : HUNGRINESS

7-down – Study O-Level Sociology essentially from the beginning : DENOVO

13-down – Case dismissed by one dressed in leather? : OUTPATIENT

15-down – Drink from unopened barrel : RUM

17-down – Is that Bambi heading off for shelter? : AWN

19-down – Cricketing legend Amiss sleeps it off : SOBERSUP

20-down – Hassle travelling around India for Victorian women? : SHEILAS

22-down – Book is on time in the end : ATLAST

23-down – TV doctor eating a very large fish : WAHOOS

25-down – Breaks wind quietly inside : GAPS

26-down – Serving of Navratilova lost shape : OVAL

1-across – Nothing’s deferred in old combats? Exactly : JUSTSO

4-across – Discourage three consecutive semitones : DEFLATE

9-across – One caught by bad fortune on the end of traffic jam abroad : CONFITURE

10-across – I’m not sure Lorraine’s friend shows taste : UMAMI

11-across – Iris controls this small animal, not quite needing a vet? : PUPIL

12-across – Punches possessed energy? This could cover a shiner : LAMPSHADE

13-across – Blair’s enforcers, lacking aspiration, hope light touch works : THOUGHT

15-across – See 13 : POLICE

17-across – Period of inactivity takes place after return of exams : STASIS

19-across – Function of fellow who’s been sunbathing? : TANGENT

22-across – Promise to keep silent on most of official questions put to voters : REFERENDA

24-across – Toy boxes fit finally for release : LETGO

26-across – Trouble afoot after leader’s ousted in Labour organisation : UNION

27-across – Bugs in house – indefinite number of parasites : HANGERSON

28-across – Baking ingredient I’d picked up, having big mince pies : DOEEYED

29-across – See 21 Down : STROKE

1-down – Small ball on grass for kitty : JACKPOT

2-down – You heard cracking jokes upset Dawn : SUNUP

3-down – Rishi’s welcoming possible remedy for leaks : SPILLAGES

4-down – Invent flipping sweet wrapping paper : DREAMUP

5-down – Some workers, due for rises, creating conflicts : FEUDS

6-down – Scary fall from husband getting into a part of the bed : AVALANCHE

7-down – Left 23 minus a hundred : EXITED

8-down – Intelligence securing extremely useful European fast-track possibilities : BULLET

14-down – Cheeky oaf occasionally filling in profile : OUTOFLINE

16-down – Most desperate for company to sell wine supply, not whiskey : LONELIEST

18-down – Wanting a dance, shy drunk is coordinated : SYNCHED

19-down – See 8 : TRAINS

20-down – Batter opening for team runs a little bit : TROUNCE

21-down – Reason king wears drag – it’s a hit for the court : GROUND

23-down – Top taken off alcohol, desperate for it : RANDY

25-down – Linesman heading for Tottenham’s area, with Saints on ball : TASSO

9-across – Extract money from tooth after Penny’s opposed : POLAR

10-across – English party talk is complicated : ELABORATE

11-across – Henry’s wearing odd socks, put to selling shoelaces here? : TUCKSHOPS

12-across – Game played beside the fire? : POKER

13-across – Stock market activity performed under the table : FOOTSIE

15-across – Mark’s a player with no handicap : SCRATCH

17-across – Chief of Police thrown out of club, say : UTTER

18-across – Deep 23 evenly flowing west : SEA

20-across – Toast bread : BROWN

22-across – Perfectly holding body of fighters with tug : TOWBOAT

25-across – Striped pastel covered in shade to a large extent : GREATLY

26-across – Very fond of husband’s orange top, not pants : HOTON

27-across – I’m stopping horrible racists with swords : SCIMITARS

30-across – They tend flowers Ivan oddly swapped with queen : GARDENERS

31-across – Still taking days returning toy : TEDDY

1-down – Good time follows single and double : SPIT

2-down – Failure of power gives rise to censorship : BLACKOUT

3-down – Weapons and gifts exchanging hands : ARMS

4-down – Enthusiasts choose to enter river and start to swim : DEVOTEES

5-down – 1,000,000 donkeys – that’s loads … : MASSES

6-down – … 10001000 story is similar? : COMPARABLE

7-down – Promote book: ‘Egypt on Vacation’ : MARKET

8-down – Support or prohibit defending base : BEAR

13-down – Able to eat trout regularly with food : FRUIT

14-down – Russia repelled, firmly established without capital being hemmed in : SURROUNDED

16-down – Dear Mel … : HONEY

19-down – … most annoyed doctor rang – it’s about tablet : ANGRIEST

21-down – Cryptically, draws in a direction away from port : OUTWARDS

23-down – Wife rates sexy member of Pink Floyd : WATERS

24-down – One sampling bit of salsa covered in potato : TASTER

26-down – Mercury eclipsing face of Uranus and Earth? That’s immense : HUGE

28-down – 10 across taking time – hint? : IOTA

29-down – Island broadcaster on air : SKYE

1-across – Check, one related to ear that’s messy : CHAOTIC

5-across – Lay out clues with a solver’s tip : SECULAR

9-across – Light, so aren’t moving in line regularly? : LANTERN

10-across – Current game’s unfinished : DRAUGHT

11-across – Spam is ‘the works’ for the rest of the crew : SHIPMATES

12-across – Kidnap missing leader? Certainly : NATCH

13-across – Anglo-Saxon hairy creature one’s neglected until now : ASYET

15-across – City in which a pair takes daily exercise initially : BUCHAREST

17-across – Lying about copper : RECUMBENT

19-across – Brummie goes on record over animated artificial human : GOLEM

22-across – Sheen appearing at last on Casualty? : GLOSS

23-across – One who belittles journalist reversing vehicle : DETRACTOR

25-across – Say, Loren’s excited to go inside soon! : ERELONG

26-across – Union-related joke about ‘turning tail’ : NUPTIAL

27-across – Reserve cast put by lake : SHYNESS

28-across – Admit high speed force used in breaking noses : CONFESS

1-down – ‘It’s played in confidence’ – Les Taylor : CELESTA

2-down – Unit involved in some unspecified periodic payment : ANNUITY

3-down – Article on empty space unit : THERM

4-down – Officer deceives board : CONSTABLE

5-down – Vicious drugs parties? : SIDES

6-down – Convicted felons with connections : CHAINGANG

7-down – Ambassador: he commonly is a beneficiary : LEGATEE

8-down – Toothy thing’s liberal chatter : RATCHET

14-down – Ben’s motto translated as ‘That’ll be over my dead body!’ : TOMBSTONE

16-down – Rigid Tom needs a boost : CATATONIC

17-down – ‘Get back to your old state!’ gives Republican a way out : REGRESS

18-down – Cask-maker’s craft: weaving rope in modest surroundings : COOPERY

20-down – Art arranged in row for convenience : LATRINE

21-down – Game that Greece would like to see making a return? : MARBLES

23-down – Painter’s daughter turned up a shade of green : DEGAS

24-down – It quivers, similar to a swan : ASPEN

1-across – Clean up dog, perhaps, sweet little youngster : MOPPET

5-across – Skin treatment: couple it with dressing : POULTICE

9-across – More flashy in short underwear : BRASSIER

10-across – Back on the floor? : SUPINE

11-across – Stubborn person has something afoot : MULE

12-across – Reckon one comes in to support band leader : COUNTBASIE

13-across – Forced smile eating posh breakfast : MUESLI

14-across – Formal agreements in dissertation to be read out : TREATIES

16-across – No one left, since you insist : ALLRIGHT

19-across – Abrasive, turn up with computer equipment : PUMICE

21-across – This admission to castle is a let-down : DRAWBRIDGE

23-across – 18 letters returned in the course of duty : ROTA

24-across – Remember to phone again : RECALL

25-across – Sleep on this problem? No way : INSOMNIA

26-across – Lender makes these improvements : ADVANCES

27-across – Vivacious agent going round lifeboat : SPARKY

2-down – Classic story of armoured unit suffering with flu : OURMUTUALFRIEND

3-down – Have groups of urban youths set on son? : POSSESS

4-down – Apparently nervous, time being such a ghoulish hour : TWITCHING

5-down – Almost perfect clothes for hobby : PURSUIT

6-down – Superior group displaced : UPSET

7-down – Pledge to welcome head of government that’s put up in sailing ship : TOPMAST

8-down – Assurance over one round of cards is a swindle : CONFIDENCETRICK

15-down – Indicates they miss most of the stops : EXPRESSES

17-down – Basic facts that could end up cooked? : RAWDATA

18-down – Youth once fails to get soft toys : TEDDIES

20-down – This comes under the hammer, two graduates holding the edge : MARIMBA

22-down – Keepsake from barrel I collected : RELIC